Job Description
Summary The Director, Project Management (ARD India) is responsible for leading end-to-end technical project and portfolio management across ARD India, ensuring seamless execution of analytical development programs aligned with global ARD priorities. This role drives technical excellence in project governance, planning, resource optimization, and cross-functional coordination across global and site stakeholders, enabling timely, compliant, and cost-effective delivery of development milestones. The position acts as a strategic bridge between global ARD project management, scientific teams, and site operations, strengthening execution discipline, transparency, and decision-making across the portfolio.

Job Description
Key Accountabilities 1. Portfolio & Project Management Leadership
• Lead the ARD India portfolio of Analytical Project Leads (APLs) analytical development projects across early and late phase programs spanning across the modalities, viz., oral, xRNA, radio-ligand therapy, parenterals.
• Ensure robust project planning, tracking, and delivery in alignment with global timelines and regulatory requirements
• Drive proactive risk identification, mitigation strategies, and escalation mechanisms
• Implement standardized project management methodologies, tools, and best practices 2. Governance & Decision Framework
• Establish and lead project governance structures (reviews, portfolio boards, dashboards)
• Provide data-driven insights to support strategic decision-making and prioritization
• Ensure transparency of project status, risks, milestones, and resource utilization
• Align governance processes with global ARD project management standards 3. Cross-functional Integration & Stakeholder Management
• Act as key interface between ARD scientific teams, TRD, global project leaders, and cross-functional partners




• Ensure alignment of analytical development activities with overall program and CMC strategies
• Facilitate effective communication across geographies (India, Switzerland, China)
• Strengthen collaboration with functions such as Regulatory, Quality, Supply, and External Partners 4. Resource & Capacity Management
• Lead demand and capacity planning across ARD project portfolio
• Optimize resource allocation to ensure efficient utilization and delivery against priorities
• Partner with functional heads to balance portfolio demands and capability development
• Drive workforce planning aligned with future pipeline needs 5. Operational Excellence & Digital Enablement
• Drive continuous improvement in project execution through lean principles and digital tools
• Implement data analytics and dashboarding to enhance performance visibility
• Standardize reporting, KPIs, and performance tracking across projects
• Promote automation and digitalization in project management processes 6. People & Capability Leadership
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Analytical Project Leads
• Build solid project management capabilities within ARD India
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and innovation
• Support talent development, succession planning, and capability building Minimum Requirements
• PhD / Master’s in Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or Chemistry
• 15–18+ years in Analytical R&D; / Pharmaceutical Development
• Proven experience in project / portfolio management within drug development
• Strong understanding of end-to-end development lifecycle (early to commercialization)
• Experience in global, matrixed organizations with cross-functional leadership Skills Desired Budget Management, Coaching Techniques, Data Science, Design of Experiments (DOE), Laboratory Research, New Product Introduction (NPI), People Management, Problem Solving, Process Simulation, Research and Development, Waterfall Model

📌 Director, Analytical Project Management (Hyderabad)
🏢 Novartis
📍 Hyderabad